Page 16 - All About History - Issue 38-16

Dictators

Hall of Shame

DESPICABLE DESPOTS

There has always been those who will use power to subjugate rather than inspire.

Beyond the usual suspects, here are some of history’s most notorious dictators

POL POT ROBERT MUGABE

CAMBODIAN 1925 98 ZIMBABWEAN 1924 PRESENT
Having led the Khmer A war hero in the 1975—79 Rhodesian Bush War,
Rouge through its bloody Mugabe won the general election to become
coup and overthrow prime minister of Zimbabwe by promising
of the Cambodian reconciliation. However, his regime has been
government, Pol Pot marked by extreme repression, land seizures,
(aka Saloth Sar) served ethnic cleansing, rigged elections and anti-
as general secretary of West rhetoric. He consolidated his rule in 1987,
the Communist Party combining the roles of head of state, head of
Pol Pot’s brutal policies led of Kampuchea. He government and commander in chief. At the
to over a million deaths instigated policies aimed time of writing, Robert Mugabe has been in
at turning Cambodia into their vision of a rural power for 36 years, and although he was forced
communist society, with all citizens expelled from into a power-sharing deal in 2008, he remains
their homes and sent to agricultural communes. the dominant Zimbabwean power even at the
The calendar was set to Year Zero, and property, advanced age of 92.
money and religion were all abolished. His brutal Saparmurat Niyazov built up a cult of
enactment of these policies led to many deaths, personality around himself.
and despite the Khmer Rouge’s overthrow in 1979,
it continued to be recognised as the legitimate
it continued to be recognised as the legitimate
government of
government of
In 2000, Zimbabwe
Cambodia. In 2000, Zimbabwe
Cambodia.
was enduring a terrible
was enduring a terrible
famine but Mugabe still
famine but Mugabe still
managed to win the At the age
managed to win the
national lottery himself
national lottery himself
national lottery himself
of 92, Robert
l
y
Mugabe is currently
be i
Mugabe is currently
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a
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t
g
d
h
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t
the oldest head of state
l
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d o
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t h
As chief of the Military t the oldest head of state
Committee of the
n
, a
n t
d h
s
h
n
a
on the planet, and has
e
o
t
e p
l
a
Yugoslav Communist on the planet, and has
Party, Tito led his
been in power for
bee
e
r f
w
n i
n p
o
r
o
followers against Axis been in power for
occupation forces 36 years
JOSIP TITO
SI
JO
I
T
O
P

T
Y
YUGOSLAVIAN 1892 1980 SAPARMURAT NIYAZOV
I
V
U
GOSL
A
A

1
980
92
1
N
8
Born in to a peasant family, Josip Tito rose to become one
B or n i n t o a p e a s a n t f a m i l y , J o s i p T i t o r o s e t o b e c ome on e TURKMEN 1940 2006
of Europe’s most prominent Cold War-era leaders,
of Europe’s most prominent Cold War-era leaders, Having been appointed the president for life
effectively ruling Yugoslavia between 1943 and
effectively ruling Yugoslavia between 1943 and of Turkmenistan in 1999, Niyazov set about
1980 in a variety of roles. Despite being viewed becoming the very definition of the eccentric
1980 in a variety of roles. Despite being viewed
as a “benevolent dictator” by some historians
as a “benevolent dictator” by some historians dictator. Among his strange acts, he changed
for fostering a relative period of unity in the
for fostering a relative period of unity in the the names of the months in honour of members
Balkans and distancing his regime from the
Balkans and distancing his regime from the of his family and placed a revolving gold
kind of policies favoured by Stalin’s Russia,
kind of policies favoured by Stalin’s Russia, statue on top of a building in the capital city of
his early rule was still characterised by rigged
his early rule was still characterised by rigged Ashgabat that always faced the Sun. However,
elections, governmental purges and the
elections, governmental purges and the this should not distract from his more ruthless
persecution of political opponents, all
persecution of political opponents, all tendencies, such as the persecution of political
aimed at consolidating and justifying
aimed at consolidating and justifying dissidents, and bizarre laws like banning young
his rule. After his death, Yugoslavia
his rule. After his death, Yugoslavia men from having beards or gold teeth, as well
would ultimately fracture into a
would ultimately fracture into a as forbidding listening to car radios.
number of separate republics.
number of separate republics.
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